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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

When I was reading back over some old posts from this summer a few minutes ago, I discovered that I mentioned getting some of my old slides digitized. Well, I actually did do that last month...and some of the pictures are a hoot!!! This was a very low tech method I used...essentially put the slides into the slide projector, shine them on the wall and snap a picture with my digital camera. Some of the pix I took in Paris during college 33 years ago discolored alot, but with the discoloration, they look REALLY old, like 100 years old. I kind of like the way the colors are so muted....So I thought you all might like to see some of my ancient history...a little trip back in time....

The Eiffel Tower, taken January 1975. Notice how the colors have muted out.

This is me, taken sometime in the mid-70's, with our new puppy, Nutmeg. She was so tiny she fit right into my pocket!!

This was taken at my parents 25th wedding anniversary party in 1973. I am on the left, then my mom, and my grandma (mom's mom) is standing in the background against the wall. I miss my Grandma still. My middle daughter, Alli, has alot of her facial features.

This was taken by my dad in 1973, at our cabin in Whatcom County, WA.

College graduation, 1977.

An old-world street scene, taken in a long forgotten town somewhere in Northern France. Again the muted colors make the picture look older than it is.

This is me sitting in front of Chenonceaux, my favorite castle in the Loire Valley, France. I wish the castle wasn't so faded out...it really was a nice picture. I used to be so skinny!!!

Maybe one of these days I will post some more of these old pictures. It takes Blogger a long time to post them all, so I won't do any more this evening. But, now you know some of my history that few people remember!!!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Today is Lizzie's 13th birthday, and we have a houseful of kids helping her celebrate this afternoon. They are having a wonderful time, a noisy wonderful time. Happy birthday dear daughter!!!

I also want to say Happy Birthday to my special friend Thea!!! You have enriched my life immeasurably with your friendship and loving support...I hope your day gives back to you a little of what you have poured out!!! Thanks so much for everything, and many blessings to you today on your birthday!!!

I didn't get a post done last week, we had a super busy weekend and I just never got the chance to sit down long enough at the computer by myself to write up a post. It was one of those weekends where I went back to work Monday morning and nearly cried because I was more tired and frazzled from the weekend than if I had gone to work. Ever had one of those weekends? This one has been busy too, with birthday celebrations, but so far I have also been able to get a lot of the little things done that I have to do on a weekend to feel sane the rest of the week. Its a hard lesson for me to practice sometimes...taking care of myself so I can have the ability to take care of others!!!

I was able to get two projects finished since my last post. Whirlygig is finished, and I am very happy with the project. It was very fun and relaxing to do. I also finished a smocked dress for Alana (dear granddaughter), that I am very pleased with. She loves to wear it, I think it makes her feel pretty. She dances around in it like a ballerina, holding up the skirt. It's so sweet and looks so cute on her.

I haven't started a new stitching project yet this week. Nothing is calling out to me, in my basket of twenty projects in various stages of completion. About half of them haven't even been started, but are kitted up and ready for me stitch. I may just wait until I feel the desire to start one. I do have a project set aside to take to Kauai with me, so I will save that one for our trip. It's a small Just Nan design (Beach Roses) that I took with me to Maui last year and didn't have time to stitch. It is such a fitting design to be stitched on the beach!!!

We leave for Hawaii (Kauai) three weeks from today. I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I can hardly wait to get to the hotel and drop the suitcases on the floor and head out the patio doors for the beach. We are staying in an older motel that our condo association has just purchased, (they will be remodeling and converting it to condos) so we were able to get a really fantastic room rate through the association. It is on the beach (note in picture you can see the ocean at the center of the photo), though the rooms are not as close to the actual beach as our condo on Maui...it is still very close.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Daughter Amy has started a new blog, due to the fact that with an internet provider change when they moved, she was unable to get into her old blog to make new posts. One day very soon we will try and transfer all her old posts to her new blog, but in the mean time, please check out her new one:

Sunday, February 03, 2008

but life always seems to get in the way. As you can see, I haven't gotten much done on Swirlygig this week. It is sometimes agonizing when the little designs you know should only take a couple of evenings to complete turn into a couple of weeks instead. Ah well. I did have a VERY productive week in other areas of my life. I got our taxes completely done. And filed. And a generous size refund is on the way...the IRS website says in about 2 weeks it will be in our account. Horray!!! Cuz it is already spent...on plane tickets for Hawaii!!! Another major accomplishment this week, getting all the arrangements done for our trip to Kauai. We are leaving March 8th for a glorious sunshine filled week on the beach. I can hardly wait!!! It will be our first time on Kauai, tho our fourth trip to Hawaii in four years. I love Hawaii. I want to move to Hawaii. I want to move my whole family to Hawaii so I can stay there guilt free. (I can dream can't I?) We are hoping when we retire to spend at least the winter there every year. We will at least still be making an annual pilgrimage there I am sure, since we have the timeshare now. Isn't it amazing when a "PLACE" gets under your skin and won't let you go???

Daughter Amy was taking pictures of the grandbabies this afternoon, and I couldn't resist posting this one...the baby (Gracie) is laughing!!! in this picture. I bust up laughing every time I look at this picture. I love having grandkids. I am sure some people must get tired of my ramblings on about them, but how can you not talk about the things (people) you love??? Which is why we all have blogs anyway, right?

Von and I are headed to a special holiday retreat in Victoria BC, in April, sponsored by The Victoria Sampler. I am really looking forward to spending time with dear friends and stitching to my hearts content for a long weekend. The last time I was able to attend I came home so relaxed and refreshed. That's how I need to spend retirement...shuttling between Hawaii and these retreats in Victoria...and maybe a monthly side trip to visit the grandkids. Now, that would be almost heaven!!!